The present invention relates to a pressure regulation system for maintaining the air pressure within a defined space at a substantially constant level. The pressure regulation system has particular utility on aircraft.
There are many situations where it is desirable to maintain pressure within a defined space such as a passenger compartment at a substantially constant level. For example, to prevent passenger discomfort, it is desirable to maintain the pressure in an aircraft passenger compartment at a substantially constant level throughout a flight.
Systems for controlling aircraft cabin pressure are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 2,669,175 to Fischer discloses one such system. The Fischer system is designed to regulate the pressure within the passenger cabin relative to a preset pressure. The system includes a flexible diaphragm positioned within a housing; however, the diaphragm does not communicate directly with the passenger cabin. The Fischer system suffers from the deficiency that it is unnecessarily complex.
Despite the existence of systems such as Fischer's, there remains a need for pressure regulation systems which are simple in construction, which provide better pressure control, and which have a great deal of versatility.